


Of Gladiolus and Hyssop

by godtier1



Series: Of Gladiolus and Hyssop [1]
Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Brief mention of homophobia, Din x Cobb is endgame, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:00:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29491689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/godtier1/pseuds/godtier1
Summary: After a bitter divorce, Din Djarin has discovered how difficult it is to be a single parent. Luckily he has his best friend, Cobb Vanth, to help him pick up the pieces of his broken heart.
Relationships: Cobb Vanth & Grogu | Baby Yoda, Din Djarin & Grogu | Baby Yoda, Din Djarin/Cara Dune (past), Din Djarin/Cobb Vanth, Din Djarin/Omera (brief)
Series: Of Gladiolus and Hyssop [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2191386
Comments: 51
Kudos: 128





	1. Marigold (Despair)

Din rubbed his eyes tiredly, trying to focus on the road. It had been a long shift at the hospital, where he worked as a registered nurse. Then again, most days were long when you worked in the intensive care unit. His job required a lot from him, both mentally and physically. Right now he could tell he had aggregated his knee, an old football injury from his college days. He could feel it throbbing as he pushed down on the gas pedal. 

He arrived home to a small but cozy house in the suburbs. He had lived here for nearly a decade now, previously with his ex wife Cara and their son Grogu. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the steering wheel. He was too tired to feel angry anymore. Not that he had ever been truly angry to begin with. He had been shocked when she left him, in the dead of night never to return. He had been heartbroken when she turned up at the divorce hearings, saying she wanted nothing to do with either Din or Grogu ever again. And now, he was hollow, only pretending to feel when it was necessary. His only consolation had been when her attorney had sought him out after the hearings, to tell Din what a “right bitch” she was, and that, “you’re better off without her.”

He climbed slowly out of the car and made his way inside, where the sound of two hushed voices permeated the air.

“Is that dad?” one of them had said loudly, a child’s voice. 

“I dunno, better go check,” said the other, a man’s voice with a hint of a southern twang.

Tiny footsteps stomped through the house and around a corner, and Din’s heart leapt. A small boy was hugging his leg before he even had a chance to take off his shoes. 

“Hey Grogu, how was your day bud?” Din said, tired affection lacing his voice. 

Grogu let go of Din’s pant leg and started animatedly chattering about his day, walking back and forth in front of his dad like he was a stand-up comedian. Din was still not sure where he had picked up that habit. It was cute though.

“And THEN, me and Cobb played with my crayons and we made pictures of space cowboys!” he said excitedly, jumping up and down. 

“Yeah? Well let’s see them then!” Din said as he took off his shoes.

Grogu raced to the other room, and a moment later raced back, holding two pieces of grainy white paper out to Din. 

“I did the one that has my name on it!” Grogu said proudly, puffing out his chest.

“Wow, this is really good buddy!” Din exclaimed, ruffling his son’s hair. Just then he heard the sound of someone clearing their throat, and looking up to see his best friend, Cobb Vanth, leaning in the doorframe and smiling fondly at the two of them. 

“How’s mine then?” he asked, smirking mischievously. 

Din looked at Cobb’s drawing, looking deep in thought, before commenting, “I don’t think a career in the arts is in your future, Cobb.”

Cobb threw his head back and laughed in that larger-than-life way that was so distinctly him. Din grinned back at him, face alight. There was never any real bite to their quips. Just two decades worth of teasing, friendly camaraderie. 

“Come on Grogu, let your dad get out of his scrubs,” Cobb said, ushering the little boy into the living room. Din mouthed a silent “thank you” to Cobb, and retreated to his bedroom to change. 

This was his life these days. Wake up, do an early shift at the hospital, come home to have dinner with Grogu and Cobb, sleep. Rinse and repeat. He was thankful that Cobb worked remotely, so he was available to pick up Grogu after school and watch him until Din got home. That had been the deal in the beginning anyway. Nowadays, it was more likely that Cobb would stick around until late in the evening, eating dinner with the Djarin boys and chatting with Din long after Grogu had gone to sleep. The only evidence that Cobb didn’t actually live there was the lack of an extra toothbrush in the bathroom. 

Din showered and changed into sweatpants and an old hoodie, where the name of his and Cobb’s alma mater had since faded completely. He put his hands in the front pocket, only to find a folded up post-it note inside. Curious, he pulled it out, and read in Cobb’s neat scrawl, 

“Remember that time we both got so drunk our sophomore year that you had to crawl back to the dorm on your hands and knees? Yeah, me either.” 

Din chuckled to himself, smoothing out the paper and putting it in his bedside table with the others. Cobb had taken to hiding little notes throughout the house for Din when he came over. Some had funny memories or anecdotes. Others had words of encouragement. A few of them had doodles that were so bad that Din had no way of knowing what they were supposed to be. Regardless, the gesture meant a lot to him. 

He strode back into the kitchen, where Cobb was putting the finishing touches on dinner. Grogu was on his other side, occasionally stealing a piece of meat from the stew Cobb was working on. Each time Cobb looked politely away, smiling and pretending not to see. 

“Dinner’s ready, did you wash your hands Grogu?” Cobb asked, hands on his hips in mock seriousness. 

“Yes!” Grogu cried, wriggling his fingers in Cobb’s face. Cobb leaned down to inspect them, his face scrunched up in fake scrutiny, before saying “Alright, you pass. Here you go,” and handed him a bowl of soup. He then turned his attention to Din.

“Did YOU wash your hands?” he said, holding up a bowl just out of Din’s reach. Unfair. Cobb had always been taller. 

“Yes mom,” Din replied, his voice full of amusement. Cobb lowered the bowl to Din, who snatched it with a smirk on his face.

“Alright, well I’ll get out of your hair then,” Cobb started to say as he wiped his hands on a dish towel. Din quickly interrupted him, saying, “Cobb, how many times are we going to do this? You know you’re more than welcome to eat with us.” Cobb looked conflicted for a moment, until Din kicked a chair out from under the table.

“Sit,” he said sternly, arms across his chest. He looked to Grogu, who copied his stance and said, “Yeah! Sit!”

Cobb shook his head at their antics and relented, taking the offered chair. 

This was Din’s life now. It was much different than a year prior, where family dinners often devolved into shouting matches between Din and his ex, followed by Cara slamming the front door and riding out on her motorcycle. Din would tend to Grogu, making sure he ate and brushed his teeth, before sitting down to eat his own dinner. Alone. 

The after effects of the divorce still hurt, even a year later. Din still felt like he was picking up the pieces of the life he had established for himself. The life he had built with Cara and Grogu. Looking back, it was obvious how unhealthy their relationship had been. Forged from a bitter rivalry, into something that resembled love, but wasn’t really. His therapist had told him it would likely take years for Din to reconcile with the emotional abuse he had suffered at Cara’s hands. 

Din was brought back to the present as he watched Cobb clean Grogu’s mouth with a napkin, and Din chuckled to himself as he realized Cobb also had food in his own beard. And as he began to eat, he thought to himself, “this life isn’t so bad.” 

Later that evening, Din joined Cobb in the kitchen as he was finishing the dishes. 

“Grogu asleep?” Cobb asked as he put the last of the dishes away. 

“Yeah, he’s out like a light. Must have been tired,” Din replied as he opened the trash can to tie it up and leave it on the curbside. He paused for a moment, then asked, “Why is there trash from Karga’s Diner in here? I thought you hated that place.” 

Cobb scrunched up his face, as if to agree with Din, before replying, “I do, but they’ve got those toys from the space cowboys show Grogu likes so much.”

Din laughed, sounding slightly exasperated, when he said, “You really don’t need to do that you know. He’ll live if he doesn’t collect every toy.” 

Cobb just shrugged, looking resolute in his completely self-inflicted fate. 

“By the way, I found the note you left in my hoodie,” Din said as he walked to the front door with the garbage. Cobb grinned, looking rather pleased with himself. “Have I found them all yet?”

Cobb shrugged again, but this time the intention was clearly to say “I’ll never tell.”

When Din came back inside from taking the trash out, Cobb was on the couch, checking the messages on his phone. He looked up at Din as he entered, putting his phone back in his pocket.

“You doin’ ok?” He asked, face serious. 

Din sighed, dragging a hand through his dark curls. Cobb scooted over to the end of the couch and patted the cushion next to him. A silent invitation. 

Din flopped on the couch at Cobb’s side, his head resting back, staring unseeingly at the ceiling. 

“Rough day?”

“It was alright,” Din replied, and at the incredulous look he received from Cobb, he added, “No really, it was alright. I’m just tired. Maybe a little bummed out.” 

Cobb patted his shoulder tenderly, an unspoken question in the air. The offer was always there, written on Cobb’s face, the silent, “Do you want to talk about it?” When Din didn’t reply further, Cobb let the subject drop.

“There’s a new exhibit at the kid’s museum this weekend,” he said offhand, cocking his head to the side as he looked at Din. “Want to go? We could all go together, or I could take Grogu off your hands so you can catch up on sleep.” 

Din felt tears well up in his eyes. Cobb was too much sometimes. 

“Yeah, that sounds nice. Let’s do it.” 

They sat together in comfortable silence for a moment, Cobb humming quietly, and Din joining him. They grinned at each other. 

Then suddenly Cobb was looking down the hallway, distracted. Din followed his gaze to a framed photograph, a picture of the two of them at Din and Cara’s wedding. They were wearing tuxes and teal pocket squares while smiling at the camera. 

“Din, why do you still have that?” Cobb asked, his voice free of judgement. “Not that I mind. I just thought you might not like to be… reminded of that day.”

Din shrugged, a little sheepish, before replying, “I don’t… like to be reminded of that day, that is. But I’ve always been fond of that photo. We clean up nice, don't we?”

Cobb choked out a laugh, before replying, “speak for yourself!”

Din playfully shoved the other man's arm. “You clean up nice too, goofball.” And then, “but you always look nice.”

If Din had been looking at Cobb in that moment, in the low light, he might have detected a slight blush from the other man. 

They two of them chatted into the late hours of the evening. One moment, Din was nodding along to what Cobb was saying, feeling drowsy. The next thing he knew, he was waking up on the couch, his body covered with a soft throw blanket. He picked up his phone to turn off his screeching six am alarm, only to find another post-it note in Cobb’s handwriting. It read:

“Go get em’ tiger! You got this! ;)”

Din smiled softly to himself. If Cobb believed in him, who was he to doubt himself? He pulled himself up and folded the blanket neatly, draping it over the back of the couch. 

If the last year had taught him anything, it was the meaning of family. Maybe his wasn’t the standard “mom, dad and baby make three.” Maybe his was “two grown-ass best friends try to be adults and properly raise a kid.” But he was more than ok with that for now.


	2. Daffodil (Unrequited Love)

Cobb checked the time on his phone, adjusting his scarf so it fit more snug around his neck. The school bus was late today. He checked his phone again and found a text message from Din. 

“I might be late tonight. We’re short staffed again,” it read.

“No worries friend, I’ll take care of the home front,” Cobb texted back.

A moment passed and Cobb’s phone buzzed again.

“How is Grogu? Did he have a good day?”

Cobb shook his head fondly. Din was the biggest worry-wart he had ever met.

“Yeah, his day is about to get a helluva lot better. I’m taking him to gamble on the ponies now. Yeehaw.”

Another beat, and then another text. 

“What.”

“Din I’m kidding. I don’t even know where to go to gamble on the ponies.” And then, “his bus is late, but I’ll text you when he’s home.”

Just then the sound of a school bus echoed down the lane, and Grogu stepped off, waving at his friends as he did.

“Hi Cobb!” He exclaimed, running to the man and giving him a hug.

“Howdy little man. How was school?” He asked, taking Grogu’s offered hand in his. He still remembered when Grogu was small enough that he could only grab one of Cobb’s fingers at a time. He was growing up too fast.

“Good! Guess what?”

“Chicken butt?”

“What? No!” Grogu giggled, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “You’re being silly Cobb!”

“You’re right, my bad. What were you saying?”

“Did you know you can go to space? For real? Like in my cartoon?”

“You don’t say!” Cobb exclaimed. “What else did you learn?”

“Space is really, really cold, so you have to wear a space outfit. People who go to space are called astro, um, astrobots.”

“Astronauts?”

“Yeah! I want to be that when I’m your age,” he said, kicking a rock down the sidewalk. 

“Sounds like a good gig! When can I visit you on Mars?”

“Not til I’m older! I have to finish first grade first.”

Cobb chuckled as he unlocked the front door with Din’s spare key. The kid was so smart, he obviously got his brains from his dad. Thank god. 

“Alrighty kid, homework time,” Cobb proclaimed. Grogu groaned loudly, pushing a hand through his hair. He really was a carbon copy of his father. 

“Can I watch space cowboys first?”

“How about you do your homework first, and then space cowboys?”

“Can I do space cowboys and then homework?”

“Or you can do space cowboys second and homework first.”

Grogu thought for a moment, and then said, “ok!” As he took his book bag to the kitchen table. 

Cobb laughed under his breath. Oh good, he could still outsmart a seven year old. 

Cobb was cutting vegetables for dinner when Grogu padded into the kitchen. 

“Cobb I’m done!” He yelled happily. 

“Good! Give me a minute to wash my hands and I’ll set up space cowboys.”

Grogu sat on a barstool at the counter, swinging his legs back and forth. “Whatcha makin?”

“Okra,” Cobb replied, brushing stray bits of vegetables from his apron.

“Do I like that?”

“You do. I made it a few weeks ago, remember?”

“Oh yeah.” Grogu continued swinging his legs back and forth, and then, “Where do you think my mama is?”

Cobb narrowly avoided slicing a finger. He took a moment to catch his breath, before asking, “What brought this on buddy?”

“I dunno. I just haven’t seen her for a really long time.” Grogu cast his eyes downward, looking a little sad, before asking, “Do you think she misses me?”

Cobb clenched his jaw so hard that his teeth hurt. Knowing Cara, he seriously doubted it. Grogu had never been more than a pawn to her, a way to keep Din around when he finally realized how awful she was to him. How ironic, that in the end, it was Cara that had given up on Din and Grogu. 

“I’m sure she does,” He said, trying to keep the bitter tone out of his voice. 

“When do you think she’ll come visit?”

“I don’t know buddy.”

Cobb turned to face Grogu, to find silent tears streaking down his chubby cheeks. He sighed as he set his knife down on the cutting board. He walked over to the child, and knelt down so he was on Grogu’s level.

“I miss my mom,” Grogu cried, tears and snot mixing on his face. Cobb took a corner of the apron he was wearing and wiped at the mess. He took one of Grogu’s small hands in his, squeezing gently.

“I know you do. I’m not sure when she’ll come visit. But you have your dad, and you have me. And you have your teachers and your friends at school. It’s ok to be sad about your mom. But it’s also good to be happy about the rest of us. Do you understand?”

Grogu hiccuped and nodded, leaning into Cobb for a hug. Cobb wrapped his lanky limbs around the little boy in front of him. He wished he could suddenly make life better for Grogu. And for Din. For these precious Djarin boys. 

“Hey, do you want to help me with something important? Something only a big kid can do?” Cobb asked as he pulled away from the hug.

Grogu gasped. “Like what?” He asked, stars in his eyes.

The next hour saw Cobb and Grogu cooking together in the kitchen. Really Grogu just poured water and vegetables into the pot, but Cobb let him dance around him as he did the heavy lifting, occasionally handing a piece of food to Grogu as he went.

Cobb heard keys in the front door just as he was finishing dinner. A moment later Din popped his head in, smiling at Cobb as he shut the door and took off his jacket.

“Daaaaaaaaaad!” Grogu screeched, running at Din with full speed. Din stepped backwards with an “oof” as his son crashed into him. 

“Remember what we talked about? About not yelling when we’re indoors?” Din admonished gently.

“Oh yeah,” Grogu whispered. 

“Oh wow, it smells good Cobb,” Din remarked as he clipped his hospital badge to his jacket. Cobb felt his cheeks go red. He would have to play it off from the fact he’d been standing in a hot kitchen.

“I’ll go shower and change real quick. Can you help Cobb set the table Grogu?” Din asked.

“YES!! I can be a big helper!”

Din chuckled and ruffled the boy’s hair as he walked off into his bedroom. The sound of running water followed soon afterwards.

Cobb leaned back on the counter and sighed, large and slightly dramatic. How long would he harbor these feelings for Din? Surely two decades was long enough to pine after someone who had zero interest in loving him back. He looked up at the ceiling, gaze slightly unfocused. If a whole ass marriage and a baby wasn’t enough to dissuade his stupid, stupid heart, then he didn’t know what would be enough. He rubbed at his face, fingers catching on the mark below his right eye. He had read somewhere that moles and birthmarks under the eyes were a sign of someone who would live a life of deprivation and sorrow. “Tear marks,” the article had said. He didn’t think he would go that far. But living twenty years in unrequited love certainly brought him enough sorrow.

“Cobb?” Din asked, suddenly at his side.

Cobb yelped and put a hand over his heart. That was the second time he had been startled today.

“Are you alright?” Din asked, concerned. Cobb watched as Din’s eyes roved over his hands and face, clearly looking for any injuries.

“Right as rain,” Cobb replied, bringing the pot off of the stove. 

Dinner that night was the same as any other night, including Cobb’s, “well I’ll leave you boys to it,” and Din’s, “sit your ass, uuuh, butt, down. Sorry Grogu.” 

However, tonight Grogu decided he didn’t want to let sleeping dogs lie. 

“Cobb said that mama will visit soon. Do you think she’ll come tomorrow?”

Cobb and Din simultaneously choked on their food. Cobb looked to Grogu, feeling slightly betrayed. 

“I didn’t, say that exactly,” he said, looking to Din pleadingly. “I said I didn’t know if she would visit. When you asked me.”

“You said you didn’t know WHEN she would visit,” Grogu corrected him.

Touché kid. 

Din looked calmer than Cobb had expected him to look in this situation. He locked eyes with Grogu, channeling a firm kindness, when he said, “Baby, mom isn’t coming back, remember? It’s just you and me now.”

The words hit Cobb like a ton of bricks. “It’s just you and me.” Not, “you and me and Cobb.” Or course. He wasn’t their family. He was important, sure. But not family. He was interrupted from his thoughts when he heard Grogu screaming.

“But Cobb SAID that she would come back!”

“Honey, I think you misunderstood what Cobb said,” Din said, standing his ground

“Then Cobb lied!” He shrieked, turning his chair over and running to his room, slamming the door behind him. Cobb visibly flinched as if he had been hit. 

There was a terse silence for a moment, before Cobb spoke.

“I didn’t meant to have that conversation with him, he asked, and I-“

“I know,” Din said, sounding tired and forlorn. “That must have been an awkward situation. I’m sorry he asked you that. You did your best, I’m not mad, don’t worry.” 

Cobb nodded, feeling the pin pricks of tears behind his eyes.

Din sighed again. “I should go talk to him, I’ll be right back.” 

He excused himself from the table, and a moment later Cobb heard muffled voices from Grogu’s room. 

Cobb put his face in his hands, traitorous tears spilling out again his will. “Be strong” he told himself. “Din needs you right now.” 

He got up and started the dishes, still silently crying as he worked. By the time he was finished the tears had stopped. He hoped Din wouldn’t be able to tell. 

He sat on the couch and checked his phone. It was almost ten pm. 

A few minutes later Din sat down next to Cobb on the couch. “He’s ok,” he said gently, placing a hand on Cobb’s shoulder. “He’s not mad at you. You didn’t do anything wrong. Just got a bit outsmarted by a seven year old is all.” He smiled wryly. 

Cobb exhaled through his nose, relieved. Din gave Cobb’s shoulder a pat before removing his hand. 

“Are you ok?” He asked.

“Fine,” Cobb replied, and then, “Are you ok?” 

“Yeah, I'm alright. That conversation was going to happen sooner rather than later.” 

“I should go,” Cobb said as he stood up from the couch. “I need to catch up on some work before picking up Grogu tomorrow.” 

Din stood up too, looking genuinely sorry to see Cobb go. “Alright. But hey.” He took a step closer, inching closer to Cobb’s personal bubble. “I just want to say thank you. You’ve been nothing short of amazing this past year. I don’t know what I’d do without you. The house is always clean, and you do the laundry and cook even if I don’t ask you to. It means so much to me. I clearly don’t deserve you,” he said, the self deprecation high in his voice. 

Cobb caught Din’s gaze, and held it as he said, “You deserve the world, Din Djarin. Don’t ever forget that. I’d hang the moon if you asked me to. Travel across the stars for you. Don’t ever forget how important you are. To Grogu and to me.”

Din closed the distance between them, leaned on Cobb’s shoulder, and sobbed. Din’s tears came on loud and wet, and they shattered Cobb’s heart into pieces. If only he really could travel across the stars for him. If only it were that easy.

Perhaps in another life. 

Cobb snaked his arms around Din’s broad frame, and held him close as his body shook with despair. An indiscernible amount of time passed. Finally, Din pulled away, his eyes red and puffy. The faint outline of an old scar was visible on the bridge of Din’s nose. How Cobb longed to reach out and run his fingers over it. 

“I’m sorry, you have work tomorrow. I’m sorry I kept you,” Din apologized. Cobb shook his head quickly, enough to make him dizzy. 

“Don’t be. I’m always here if you need me.”

Then Din looked slightly mortified, as he said “I uh, just ruined your scarf, didn’t I?”

Cobb looked down to see his scarf was covered in Din’s tears. He chuckled. “I’m pretty sure it will dry, Din.”

Cobb walked into his lonely apartment an hour later, the noise and the warmth of the Djarin household abysmally missing. He looked around his home and sighed. There were dirty dishes piled up in the sink, a basket of dirty laundry in the living room, and unpaid bills scattered on the dining room table. He trudged on to his bedroom, closing the door and falling face first into his bed, fully clothed. He would sleep, and he would dream of a curly head of hair and deep brown eyes. And then he would get up, work on his computer, and pick up Grogu from the bus stop. 

A sorrowful monotony.


	3. Geranium (True Friendship)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m just gonna slap a trigger warning on this bad boy for a brief moment of homophobia

Din was nineteen when he met Cobb Vanth. They were college freshmen, fresh-faced and truly seeing the world for the first time. They shared a major, and met the first day of classes. 

“Howdy, this seat taken?” Cobb had drawled in this vague southern accent. 

Din had pushed the chair towards Cobb, saying, “it is now.”

From that day on the two were inseparable. Din learned that Cobb grew up on a farm, but had hated every moment of it. He learned that Cobb enjoyed music, tinkering with technology, and being an all-around wise ass. Not that Din minded. 

Din played football their freshman year, considering he was on a scholarship. He had hated it, even in high school, but his father had pushed him to continue. There were a lot of late nights and early morning practices. Cobb would wait patiently for Din in the bleachers, fast food in hand for when Din was done.

“Oh, there you are,” Cobb would remark when Din would finally take off his helmet. “I was starting to forget what you looked like.” 

They each broke up with their respective assigned roommates halfway through their freshman year, opting instead to live together. At the beginning of their sophomore year, they had pushed their beds together, in the hopes that their endless late night conversations would no longer annoy their neighbors. 

The injury had happened in their shared anatomy class. The lab for the day was doing some routine animal dissections, nothing out of the ordinary. Except for when Din had startled when a classmate backed their seat into his, causing him to nick his chin with his scalpel. Cobb had whisked him to the campus nurse, and waited outside the clinic while Din received a couple of stitches. 

They laid on their joined beds in the dark later that night, facing each other and chit-chatting. 

“Hope that doesn’t leave a scar. Wouldn’t want to scruff up that beautiful face,” Cobb said, batting his eyelashes.

Din playfully slapped his roommate’s arm, clearly embarrassed.

“I don’t know if you noticed, but I’ve already got one on my face, right here,” he pointed to the bridge of his nose. 

“Can’t see, too dark.”

Din took hold of Cobb’s hand and brought it to his nose, letting the other boy feel the scar there. 

“Huh, well I’ll be damned. How did I not notice that before?” Cobb said thoughtfully. And then “How did it happen? Football?”

Din laughed. “No, nothing like that. Just tripped and hit my head on some stairs. Got a concussion and broke my nose.”

Cobb sucked in a breath through his teeth. “Ouch,” he said in sympathy, then “What a dumb way to get a such a cool scar.”

Din pinched the hand that was still touching his nose, chuckling. “Shut up! So do you have any cool scars wise guy? Besides the one on your temple?”

The room grew deadly quiet, and Din wondered if he had offended Cobb somehow. He withdrew his hand from Din’s nose. 

“Uh, something like that. Wouldn’t call it cool though.”

Din could hear the gears turning in Cobb’s head. He was clearly deciding whether or not to show his scar to Din. 

“You don’t have to tell me, we can talk about something else.”

“No, no, I… hmmm.” Cobb sat up and shuffled closer to Din. “I’ll just show you.”

He turned around and kneeled in front of Din, slowly taking off his signature red hoodie. The words “Mos Pelgo Broncos” were emblazoned on the front. 

He turned on the flashlight on his phone and handed it to Din. Then he bowed his head, exposing the back of his neck.

What Din saw turned his insides to ice, burning cold in the pit of his stomach. There, on the back of Cobb’s neck, was a word, either burned or carved with a knife, Din couldn’t tell. 

“Fag.”

It had clearly not been treated properly at the time of the injury, and had been left to heal poorly. It was dark and jagged around the edges. No wonder Cobb always wore a hoodie or a scarf. Din was at a loss for words. Judging by the silence, so was Cobb. 

Din sucked in a breath, and exhaled loudly. “Wow,” was all he could think to say.

“Pretty gross right? I was an easy target back in high school. I got teased a lot for being the resident backwater hick. And there were rumors that I, uh, liked to ride with the bulls, so to speak. You get the picture.”

“Cobb, that’s so awful,” Din whispered, still rather speechless. 

“They were right, you know,” Cobb said, laughing nervously. “But it still hurt.”

“I didn’t know,” was all Din could think to say. 

“What? About the scar or the… other thing.”

“Both. But I didn’t know you were gay.”

“Really? You couldn’t tell by the,” he gestured vaguely to himself, “everything about me?” He laughed, low and cold. Nothing like his normal airy laugh that Din loved so much. “You must not have much of a gaydar pal. Not that I can blame you, since you seem to…. prefer the cows.”

It was Din’s turn to laugh, though it held none of the malice Cobb’s had. Cobb craned his neck around to look at Din.

“What? What’s funny?”

“I’m bisexual Cobb. I thought I had told you already?”

Cobb blanched. Even in the dim light of the flashlight, Din could tell he was flustered. 

“Oh,” he said, voice an octave higher than normal. He cleared his throat. “Cool. That’s uh, that’s cool.”

“I’m sorry you’ve been taught to be ashamed. But you know, you’re just fine the way you are, Cobb. Don’t let anyone make you think otherwise.” 

A moment’s silence eclipsed the conversation, and Din could have sworn he heard Cobb sniffle. 

“We uh, should probably sleep, yeah? Eight am classes,” Cobb said, voice rough. 

“Sure,” Din replied. He watched as Cobb shuffled back to his portion of their shared beds and pulled two blankets over his head. He had always run cold.

“Thanks Din,” he whispered, and then, “Night.”

“Goodnight Cobb.”

The rest of their college experiences were shared together as well. Din dated occasionally, but nothing stuck. Cobb had been there with ice cream after a bad break up. Cobb had a few drunken hook-ups, and Din had been there with a bottle of water and an aspirin the next morning. 

When they graduated, they both feared life would take them in opposite directions. And it did, for a little while. Cobb got a job in the city, while Din went to nursing school. They talked on the phone every night, an echo of their late night dorm room conversations. 

Din was twenty-nine when he met Cara Dune. She was tall, broad, and beautiful. Dangerous even. She was a nurse at the first hospital Din worked at, and they developed a sort of rivalry. “I bet I can save more patients than you,” or “I bet I can drink more whiskey than you.” She was a force to be reckoned with, and Din was smitten. 

Din introduced Cobb to Cara after they had been dating for a month. The two of them had a rocky relationship, to say the least. 

“What’s wrong, homo? Beer too strong for you? You want me to water it down? Or would you rather me bring you a cosmo?” 

Cobb had grit his teeth but smiled all the same. He was quieter around Cara, more withdrawn. Din could feel that something was off, but couldn’t put a finger on it. 

The night before Din had proposed, he strolled around his neighborhood, Cobb hanging on his arm. A habit from bygone days. 

“What do you think of Cara?” Din had asked. startling Cobb out of his thoughts. 

“She’s, uh… great,” he had replied, “She's ah… headstrong. Doesn’t take any bullshit. The complete opposite of you,” he had said, grinning mischievously. Din had laughed and swatted Cobb’s arm. 

“I put up with enough bullshit from you,” he remarked, no bite to his comment. 

A pause, and then, “I’m going to ask her to marry me tomorrow.” 

Cobb stopped walking, the motion pulling on their linked arms. He was quiet a moment, and then, “Oh, that’s… that’s great Din. I’m so happy for you.” He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Something had been wrong, but Din couldn’t decipher it.

“Will you be my best man?” Din had said, getting down on one knee and holding out a gum wrapped he found in his pocket. 

The sound of Cobb’s laughter had been off, but he flourished his arms dramatically as he accepted the gum wrapper from Din. 

“Nothing would make me happier.”

The wedding had been a lavish affair, all tuxedos and gowns and pomp and circumstance. Din had been uncomfortable with the fanciness, but Cara had insisted. 

“Don’t you want me to look beautiful when I walk down the aisle?” she had asked over the phone while she tried on wedding dresses. The dress she held up to the mirror was hundreds more expensive than Din had agreed to.

The first year of their marriage had been good, Din thought. They bickered good-naturedly, both at home and at the hospital. Year two was… still good, Din told himself. Maybe Cara would say mean things sometimes, but she didn’t mean them, she was just stressed. Maybe she would slap Din’s face occasionally, but she didn’t mean to hurt him, she just didn’t know her own strength. 

Din didn't see Cobb much during these years. They would chat on the phone, occasionally, but Cobb would leave soon after hearing Cara in the background, sneering, “Who are you talking to Din? Your boyfriend?” 

By year three Din knew there was a problem. Cara wasn’t just stressed when she yelled at him, or punched his arm hard enough to bruise. Din had made up his mind. He was going to ask for a divorce, hard as it would be. He was going to start over.

And then Cara was pregnant, and Din didn’t have the heart to leave. Grogu was born in the early hours of a snowy December morning. Cobb had driven an hour in the snow and ice to support Din, who was a wreck. While Cara slept, Din introduced Cobb to his son. Cobb had held him, reverently, like Grogu was the most precious thing he had ever seen.

He had grinned at Din when he said, “too bad partner, looks like he got your nose. Poor kid will never live it down.” 

Din had laughed, slightly hysterical, while tears prickled at his eyes. He had missed Cobb. 

The next morning, Din had asked Cara to make Cobb their son’s godfather. She shot him down on the spot, and that had been that.

Cobb came around more often after that. Cara was not pleased, but she relented when she realized they had free child care on their hands. Cobb adored Grogu, would do anything for him. All the kid had to do was look up at him with those big, brown eyes, and Cobb melted. 

Din spent more time with Cobb now, too. They would chit chat while Grogu napped, talking about everything and nothing at the same time. Their conversations brought a sort of peace to Din. He was relieved he hadn’t lost Cobb to Cara’s bad behavior. 

When Cara left in the middle of the night, six years later, motorcycle tires screeching in the dark stillness, Din didn’t think much of it. A day passed. And then two. A phone call came in, Cara’s brisk voice on the other end.”

“I’m tired of this, of you. And the kid. I don’t want to be tied down anymore.”

When Cobb had showed up at their doorstep later that night, he was carrying three pints of ice cream, one for each of them.

Din had sobbed on his shoulder, and Cobb had quietly comforted him. There were never any, “I told you so’s,” no judgement or beratement. 

After that, Cobb was a constant present in Din and Grogu’s lives. Din was struggling, finding that being a single parent was hard. But in the moments when Din felt overwhelmed, like he wasn’t good enough or strong enough to get through this, Cobb would knock on their front door, arms full of groceries or fast food. 

“How did I get so lucky to have you as a best friend?” Din had asked one evening, sitting on their front doorstep and eating popsicles while Grogu slept. 

Cobb was quiet a moment, and at first Din thought he hadn’t heard him. But then Cobb grinned, devious, and said, “you must have pissed off a fierce deity in your past life partner.”

Din couldn’t have disagreed more.


	4. Gladiolus (Strength)

Din walked into the break room and poured himself a cup of coffee. God, he was only two hours into his shift and he was already exhausted. Last night had been rough, the incident with Grogu having a meltdown about his mother still fresh in his mind. Cobb must be even more exhausted, he mused. He still needed to drive home after Din had fallen asleep. 

A few of his coworkers were giggling in the corner at something Din couldn’t see. Curious, he strode over, only to find them staring wistfully at a bouquet of flowers on the counter.

“God, I wish my husband did things like this for me!” One of the women exclaimed. The other woman nodded her agreement, adding, “I don’t think my husband even knows what my favorite flower is!”

A moment later they looked up to find Din standing there, and the first woman proclaimed, “Din! There you are!” She picked up the vase of flowers and shoved them at him. “These are for you! They were delivered about an hour ago! You lucky bastard!” 

Din froze, feeling his cheeks blaze under the women’s scrutiny. Who would send him flowers? He placed the vase back down and studied them. They contained a large bunch of white gladiolus flowers. There was a message attached. He took the card, and then, before inspecting it further, turned around to see his fellow nurses looking at him expectantly.

“Oh! Sorry! You probably want to read that in private huh?”

They stood there an uncomfortable moment longer, before sighing and walking out of the break room. Din opened the card.

Din,

Sorry about last night, that sucked a big one. Hope you’re doing ok today. Thought you might need something to cheer you up. Call me if you need anything.

From: 

Your secret admirer ;)

Din barked out a laugh, loud and genuine. Of course they were from Cobb, who else knew his favorite flower? Surely Cobb couldn’t have thought he was being all that sneaky, like Din didn’t know his neat handwriting like the back of his hand. Cobb had been right, he did need something to brighten his day. He brought the vase to his locker, hoping to protect them from hungry eyes around the ward. And then he shot off a text to Cobb.

“Thanks for the flowers, I needed that today.”

A moment later, Cobb was typing.

“I surely don’t know what you’re talking about ;)”

Din shook his head fondly. He shut his locker and went back to work, an extra spring in his step. 

The following day was Saturday, and Din was thankful to have a day off. Cobb arrived in the morning, holding bags full of fast food breakfast when Din opened the door.

Grogu cheered, stealing the bags from Cobb and rushing to the kitchen. Din shook his head with a sigh. “Honestly Cobb, the kid doesn’t need any more sugar.”

Cobb shrugged, and then said, “I don’t see you complaining about your own food.”

The ride to the museum was filled with the chatter of an excited seven-year old boy, rambling aimlessly on about the new exhibit.

“My teacher said they would have space rocks at the museum, do you think I can touch them?”

Din turned around from his place in the passenger seat with a smile. “Probably not buddy, but you can look at them as long as you want.”

The museum was loud and crowded, full of families touting along gaggles of screaming children. Grogu was ecstatic, tugging on Din’s hand like some sort of feral being.

“Daaaaaaad, you’re going too slow!”

“What did we talk about Grogu? Before we left the house?” Din asked as he paid the cashier their admission fees.

Grogu pouted. “That I can’t run or scream loud.”

“Exactly,” Din said as he placed the museum wristband around Grogu’s tiny wrist.

The three of them made their way through the museum, stopping to check out the exhibits along the way. When they reached the moving exhibit area, titled “In a Galaxy Far, Far Away,” Grogu just about lost it.

“Look! They have a astrobot suit!”

“Do you mean astronaut buddy?” Din said, grinning.

“That’s what I said, Dad!”

Cobb was rather quiet during the entirety of their visit. Din knew he wasn’t fond of loud, crowded places, so it meant a lot that he wanted to join them. He strolled through the exhibit hall, a pace behind Din and Grogu, as he read the signs and plaques at each stop.

“Hey Din,” Cobb whispered, tugging on the other man’s sleeve, “What kind of music do astronauts listen to? Nep-tunes.”

Din snorted, covering his mouth with his hand.

“Oh my god Cobb, stop,” he replied, grinning. 

“At least I didn’t make a joke about uranus.”

“Cobb!”

Din gave him a playful push. He was glad Cobb wasn’t too uncomfortable here after all.

“Dad! Cobb!” Grogu shouted from a few displays over. “Look! Space rocks!”

The two men watched as Grogu observed the rocks, seeming fascinated.

“Huh… sure looks like rocks alright,” Cobb said. 

“I want to touch them!” Grogu whined, practically pawing at the glass case. 

The museum visit ended soon after, when it was evident that Grogu was on the verge of a meltdown. The three of them went home, and as was the norm for them, Cobb stayed late into the evening, chatting with Din long after Grogu went to bed.

“That was fun, I’m glad you suggested it,” Din said, smiling gently at Cobb.

“No problem. Grogu seemed a little restless lately. And I thought it would be good for you to not be at the house or the hospital for once.”

Din nodded. “Yeah, thanks for that. Sorry, I guess it’s pretty obvious how bummed I’ve been lately huh?”

Cobb hummed, lost in thought. For a moment, he looked like he was mentally wrestling with himself, before he said, “Have you thought about trying to date again?”

Whatever Din had thought Cobb was about to say, it hadn’t been that. “Not particularly, why?”

Cobb shrugged, picking at a loose thread on his scarf. “It might do you some good, to put yourself back out there. You spend all of your time either at work, or with Grogu and me. It might be good for you to branch out.”

Din studied Cobb’s face, backlit from the light in the kitchen. The man looked tired. His face was pale and there were faint bags under his eyes. His normally well-manicured hairstyle had grown out and was in need of a trim. Cobb turned to look at Din, and the expression on his face was nigh unreadable. He looked… conflicted. Like the words he was saying weren’t the ones he wanted to say. 

“Why would I need to branch out, when I have everything I need right here?” Din asked seriously, gesturing to Grogu’s room with one hand, and to Cobb himself with the other. Cobb smiled, soft and genuine. Then his smile faltered, and his eyes moved to the floor. 

“Well, you should think about it. The dating thing, that is. Might help chase the blues away.”

Din made to touch Cobb’s shoulder, but thought better of it and placed his hand back in his lap. 

“I’ll think about it,” he said, and they let the subject drop.

The following Saturday, Din was standing in front of the long mirror in his bathroom, looking over his reflection. He had decided that maybe Cobb had been right, maybe he just needed some fresh new perspective after all. As he was adjusting his tie, Grogu bounded in. 

“Oooooh fancy Dad!” he had exclaimed, jumping up and down.

Din smiled and ruffled his son’s curly head of hair. “Thanks bud,” he said, sounding just as nervous as he felt. He took Grogu by the hand and walked him out to the living room, where Cobb was straightening up the entertainment system. He turned around when Din entered, and gave a low whistle.

“Lookin’ good partner,” he said, smiling cheekily. He stood up and walked over to Din, inspecting him with mock seriousness. After a moment’s consideration, he gave a thumbs up and said, “Well Din Djarin, I think you’re ready. Except…” and he lifted his hands to Din’s tie to straighten it. He was close, so close, and Din could smell his shampoo. Din felt his cheeks heat up, all the way down his neck. It must be nerves, he told himself.

As he got into his car, he saw Cobb watching from the front door, leaning against it and looking tired and forlorn. Din suddenly realized that he had never known Cobb to date anyone, and wondered why. Anyone would be lucky to have Cobb Vanth in their life. Din sure knew he was. 

Din’s date that night wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t great either. A quiet, small lady by the name of Fennec Shand met him at a fancy restaurant uptown. It wasn’t that they didn’t get along, they just had nothing in common, nothing to talk about. They silently agreed that this would be their first and last date.

Cobb met him at the door when he got home, putting a finger to his lips and nodding in the direction of Grogu’s room. “How'd it go?” He whispered as he helped Din out of his suit jacket. 

Din shrugged, “I don’t think I see a wedding in our future.”

Cobb smiled, sympathetic and sincere, but there was a hint of something else there, too. Relief perhaps? 

The next Saturday rolled around, and Din had another date planned. This time, he was meeting a man named Migs Mayfeld at a craft brewery for a tour and dinner. It was clear within the first five minutes that this was not going to work out.

“... just got out of prison a few weeks ago, and now I’m back on the market boys!” Migs had proclaimed as he raised his glass and took a drink.

Din sent a text under the table to Cobb, that just read “Help.” A minute later he was receiving a phone call, and he excused himself to take it. 

“Hey Din, oh nooooo there’s a problem at home. Possum got into the house, and he’s trying to sell drugs to Grogu. You’d better get home quick.” Din could hear the amusement in his voice. 

When Din returned to the table, he said, “Sorry Miggs, I have a family emergency, I’ll call you again sometime.” 

Neither of them ever called the other back. 

A few more weeks passed, and Din was perfectly content to spend the weekends with Cobb and Grogu. Cobb even stayed the night a few times, and the boys would sleep in the next day and watch movies in their pajamas while they ate cereal on the couch. It was…. nice. Things continued on this way.

Until the day Din met Omera. 

Grogu had gone home with a friend that day, so Cobb had stayed home to catch up on work. It had been weird coming home to a completely empty house. It was quiet and lonely. 

And then the doorbell was ringing, and outside stood Grogu, a small girl about his age, and a short, pretty brunette woman. 

“Hi there! You must be Din!” She’d said cheerfully, reaching out her hand for him to shake. “Grogu has told me so many good things about you! I’m Omera, and this is my daughter, Winta!” 

Winta blushed and hid behind her mom, looking bashful. 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Din said, and then, “Grogu, did you thank them for having you over?”

“Thank you!” Grogu chorused, causing Omera to chuckle. 

“Of course, you’re welcome anytime!” 

Omera and Winta got back in their car to leave, but came back up the drive a few minutes later, knocking on the door sheepishly. 

“I’m so sorry to bother you, but my car could use a jump. Could you help me out?”

Din had complied, and the two talked as they worked. He found out that Omera was a widow, and she owned her own bakery that made, “the best cake in town, if I do say so myself.” Din invited her inside, and they talked some more as Grogu and Winta played. 

As she was fishing her keys out of her purse to leave, she said, “this was unexpected, but nice! I don’t suppose you’d like to do something again?”

Din stared at her for a moment, gears turning in his head as he processed what she just said.

“Like a date?” He asked, and she nodded.

“Sure, that sounds nice.” He smiled, taking her dainty hand in his and leading her to the door. As he watched her go he thought, maybe this would be the one that worked out.


	5. Hyssop (Sacrifice)

Din went out with Omera the following weekend. As well as the weekend after that, and the one after that. Cobb had worn a strange expression on his face when Din had told him the story of their meeting the next day, but he quickly smiled and said, “Good. I’m happy for you.”

They mainly met at coffee shops and bakeries, nothing too high key. Omera was a simple person, and she preferred that over fancy dinners and dances. Nothing like Cara has been. It was a breath of fresh air.

On their fourth date, storm clouds loomed low overhead, the distant sounds of thunder echoing off the walls. Din had walked Omera to her car, holding an umbrella to shield her from the light drizzle. As she bent down to get in her car, she pecked Din on the lips, and whispered, “same time next week?” He watched her drive away, feeling his lips tingle from the kiss. 

It is when he was driving home that Din realized he had given Omera his only umbrella. He sighed, looking out at the storm raging outside. Grogu wouldn’t be too happy, he hated thunderstorms. Good thing Cobb was with him. 

By the time he pulled into the driveway, he had thoroughly soaked the driver's seat of his car. He opened the door and sprinted up the walkway, yanking the door open and rushing inside. What he saw when he entered melted his heart. 

There, in the living room, was a giant tent made of pillows, blankets and cushions from the couch. He could see two shadows inside, one large and one small, backlit from a flashlight. A thunder clap shook the house, and the small form of Grogu didn’t even flinch. God, his baby was growing up.

He simply stared, his heart full and his shoes dripping water on the welcome mat. A flap in the tent opened and Cobb peaked his head outside, followed by Grogu.

“Welcome back!” They rang in unison. Grogu bounded out, followed more slowly by Cobb, wincing from his prolonged position hunched over on the floor. 

“Dad! How was your date? Did you have fun?” Grogu asked, embracing his father for a moment before pulling back, face scrunched up.

“Eww you’re all wet! And cold!” He whined. Din laughed and handed him one of the boxes of cake he had bought from the restaurant, which was still mostly dry. Grogu jumped up and down, punching a small fist in the air. He ran with his treat to the kitchen, squealing with delight all the way.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t forget you” Din teased, holding out the other box. Cobb hummed his thanks, placing the cake on a side table. 

“You’re soaked Din, go change your clothes so you can properly hug your son,” he said with a smile. He shooed Din into his bedroom, playfully slapping his arm. 

Din slipped into his room and closed the door, scrubbing a hand over his face. The date was nice. Good food and good company, as were the dates before. But he still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, off in a way that unnerved him. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy spending time with Omera, because he did. They had plenty to talk about, and he enjoyed sampling the restaurants that she enjoyed going to. And it wasn’t that he wasn’t attracted to her, because he was. She was beautiful, it didn’t take a genius to see that. Then what was the problem? Din felt like he was back in high school, staring down a particularly difficult math problem. He was interrupted from his thoughts by a soft knock on the door.

“Din? Are you decent?” 

Din hastily threw on the dry shirt he had been gripping while lost in his thoughts.

“I’m dressed, if that’s what you’re asking. I don’t know that I’m decent though.”

Cobb opened the door a crack and peeked his head inside, smiling wryly. “Wise ass,” he said, rolling his eyes fondly. “Grogu wants to be tucked in. Also Jesus, Din, you’re still soaked. Did you forget how to operate a towel?” 

Cobb disappeared for a moment, only to return with a towel from the linen closet. 

“C’mere, you’re going to catch a cold.” He opened the towel and walked over to Din. He paused, eyebrows raised, waiting for an invitation. Din nodded, and Cobb started to gently dry his dark curls. 

“You smell like fabric softener, did you do laundry?” Din asked, sounding hopeful. 

“Nah, didn’t have time, sorry. Just threw a blanket in the dryer, thought you might be cold.”

Din’s heart constricted in his chest. What had he done to deserve Cobb? The man was too pure, too selfless for his own good. 

Din closed his eyes as Cobb messaged the towel through his hair, the other man humming softly. Din realized with a smile that the tune was from one of the cartoons that Grogu enjoyed watching. Maybe Din asked him to babysit too often…

“Hey, don’t fall asleep partner. Your son wants you to say goodnight,” Cobb whispered softly.

“Five more minutes,” Din mumbled sleepily. Cobb laughed above him in that breathy way that sent shivers up Din’s spine.

Cobb continued his ministrations, until he stepped back and surveyed his work.

“Done,” he whispered fondly. “I think you’ll live afterall.”

“Glad to hear it,” Din chuckled as he stood up from where he had been sitting on the bed, his bad knee popping as he did. He stumbled, Cobb catching him by the elbow.

“Woah, careful Din,” Cobb said, worrying his lip with his teeth. “That knee still bothering you?”

Din nodded. He couldn’t help but notice the expression on Cobb’s face, slightly unreadable, but then again he had known the man for two decades now, had learned all of his ticks and habits. He looked… almost sad. 

They stood there in silence, Cobb’s hand on Din’s arm, a steady presence. Their quiet moment was broken from a loud whine from Grogu’s room.

“Daaaaaaaaad.”

Cobb chuckled, closing his eyes and slowly releasing Din’s arm. “Duty calls,” he said, giving Din a slight nudge in the direction of Grogu’s room. 

“I’ll be right back,” Din promised softly.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Cobb said playfully with a wink. God, that man knew how to cut to the core of him.

When Din was satisfied that Grogu was settled for the night, he came back to the living room to find Cobb sitting on the couch, a blanket covering his lap and lightly dozing off. Din smiled.

“Is there room for two?” he asked, sidling up next to the couch.

Cobb snorted himself awake, and then blearily peeled back a corner of the blanket.

“For you? Always.”

Din settled in besides Cobb, feeling drowsy himself. He looked over to see the other man already asleep again, his head lolling on his chest. After a moment’s hesitation, Din rested his head on Cobb’s shoulder, and let sleep take him. 

The following Monday started the same as always. Din woke up, put Grogu on the bus, and went to work. However, he was completely unprepared for how his day would end.

When he came home that afternoon, it was to a quiet house. He almost shouted to ask if they were home, but his eyes drifted to the couch, and his voice died in his throat.

There was Cobb, laying on his back in a way that couldn’t be entirely comfortable. And there was Grogu, dozing soundly on his chest. The only sounds in the room were the refrigerator running in the kitchen and the sounds of deep, even breathing. And it was in that moment, as Din watched Cobb sleep on the couch, Grogu curled up on his chest, that he had an epiphany. Like the cogs in a machine clicking into place, his head finally caught up with his heart. The reason things felt wrong with Omera, with his other dates, hell, even with his ex wife, was because his soulmate had been by his side this entire time. 

Just how long had he been in love with Cobb Vanth?

He made a split second decision, and it was the easiest choice he had ever made. He slipped quietly back out of the house, leaving Cobb and Grogu to doze. And he texted Omera. 

“Hey, are you busy? Can we talk somewhere?”

A few minutes passed, and Din was worried that she might be busy. And then Omera was typing.

“Hi! Sure! Where should I meet you?”

They met at a coffee shop, a short walk from Omera’s cozy home in town. Winta was with her when she walked in, the bell chiming above the door as it opened.

“Hi!” she said, slightly out of breath. And then, “Sorry, I couldn't find anyone to watch Winta on such short notice.” 

Din panicked. How was he supposed to do this in front of her daughter?

Omera must have sensed his hesitation, when she said, “Hey Winta, why don’t you go to the counter and buy yourself a cookie?” Winta looked up at her mom, eyes bright. 

“Yay!”

Omera handed her some money, and nudged Din to a table in the corner. “Don’t worry,” she said to Din, “Winta is friends with the baristas here. She’ll talk their ears off. You can take your time saying what you need to say.”

Din was so relieved that he could kiss her. Except that was kind of the opposite reason why he was there. He took a deep breath, and said, “So, um, the thing is. Omera. Uh, I really like you. A lot. You’re great, and so is Winta.” He mentally kicked himself for rambling. He’d never been very good with words. That was always what Cobb was for. 

“But, I don’t think we should be dating. Anymore. If that’s… ok.” 

God, he was so bad at this. How he had locked down dates in the first place was beyond him. 

When he looked back at Omera, she was smiling. 

“Have you figured something out then, Din?”

If he had bought himself a coffee prior to this conversation, it would have been in his lap by now. How long had she known?

“I… yeah. I did. Figure something out, that is. Did you…?”

Omera laughed, with no remorse or malice in her voice. “Did I know that you had a thing for your best friend? Yes, it didn’t take me long to figure out. I don’t know if you knew this Din, but you have this look on your face when you talk about him. It’s very sweet actually.” She sighed, sounding a little wistful. “I’m happy for you. And I like you too, by the way. But, I agree with you, I think dating you is just not going to work out.” And then she had the audacity to wink at him, a smirk playing across her lips. 

“I… thank you. Really. It’s been nice getting to know you,” Din said, a small smile threatening to creep onto his face as well.

“Don’t say it like we’re saying goodbye forever! Besides, Winta and Grogu are still friends, and that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends too, right?” She paused, and then said, “And I like Cobb. He sounds like a good guy, like he’s good for you. You’re good for each other. I hear he’s a good cook, so be sure to invite us by sometime, ok?” 

She looked to the front counter, where Winta was chatting with the barista, who looked amused but a little too busy to entertain a kid. She grabbed her purse and walked over to Din, giving him a peck on the cheek as she passed.

“Tell your boys hello for me,” she whispered, and then went to collect Winta from where she was annoying the coffee shop worker.

Din watched as they left the shop, Winta waving as they went. Omera had called Cobb and Grogu “his boys.” It all made so much sense. And suddenly he felt light and airy. Like he could do anything. Like he could drop everything right now and buy flowers for Cobb. 

So that’s what he did.

He found a small bouquet made of red hyssop flowers, Cobb’s favorite. There was a poster above the flower stand that had a list of the different flowers they sold, and what each one meant. When he looked for what hyssop means, he found the word “sacrifice.” How fitting. 

It was when he was paying for the flowers that he received a phone call. He looked down at his phone idly, the cashier running his card, when he saw the call was from the house phone. Only Grogu used the house phone…

He looked apologetically at the cashier before answering. “Grogu? You ok buddy?” 

He had to hold the phone away from his ear, with how loud Grogu shouted on the other end. “Dad! Come quick!”

“What’s going on?” Din asked, alarm seeping into his voice.

“Cobb fell over! And he won’t wake up, even when I say his name!”

Din froze, dread seeping into his bones. He hastily grabbed his card and the flowers from the cashier before rushing out of the shop.

“I’m on my way home,” he said, sounding much more calm than he felt.

When he pulled into the driveway, he left the vase of flowers in the passenger seat and rushed up the walkway. He banged open the front door, looking for Cobb and Grogu.

“Dad?” he heard from the kitchen. He ran in, not even bothering to take off his shoes at the door. What he found made his blood run cold.

There was Grogu, sitting on the kitchen floor, house phone still in hand. He had tears and snot running down his face.

And then there was Cobb. He was lying still on the floor, still wearing one of Din’s aprons, a broken dish of cold food strewn nearby. Din sunk to his knees, suddenly thankful for his years of medical training. His fingers danced over Cobb’s body, checking his vitals. Cobb’s face was whiter than the tiles of the kitchen floor, and there was some dried blood in his silver hair. He must have hit his head when he fell.

Din’s hand cradled Cobb’s cheek, checking for further symptoms. It was then that he noticed how labored his breathing was, his breath coming out short and raspy. Cobb had been coughing, only yesterday, as he had picked his keys off the counter to head home for the night. When Din asked him about it, he had just waved him off with a “I’m fine Din, you worry too much.” How long had his best friend been sick?

“Grogu, get your shoes on and meet us in the car. It’s unlocked,” Din said sternly. Grogu nodded, a fresh wave of tears threatening to fall, as he ran from the room. Din slowly rolled Cobb onto his back, brushing the man’s hair off of his forehead. 

“Cobb, can you hear me?” he asked, struggling to keep his composure, as if this was any of his other patients. 

Except this wasn’t one of his other patients. This was Cobb. The Cobb that had stood by him at his wedding, wearing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. The Cobb that had held Grogu just minutes after he was born, looking down at the newborn as if he were his own son. The Cobb that had helped him pick up the broken pieces of his life, who had helped him make a new life for himself. 

“Cobb, if you can hear me, I’m going to pick you up now. I’m taking you to the hospital, ok?” He still didn’t receive an answer, so he gingerly lifted Cobb into his arms, carrying him bridal style to the car. God, had he always been this light?

The drive to the hospital was tense, punctuated only by Cobb’s harsh breathing and Grogu’s hiccuping sobs. When they arrived, a team of nurses whisked Cobb away on a gurney, leaving Din and Grogu in the lobby. 

Hours ticked by. Grogu became extremely clingy, wanting to be held by Din like he had when he was a toddler. It was clear that Grogu needed comfort, but Din was overwhelmed, and finding it difficult to offer. He finally caved and called Omera, who kindly agreed to pick Grogu up and let him stay the night with her and Winta. 

And then Din was alone. The ER waiting room was so much different when he wasn’t the one working it. It seemed smaller, more claustrophobic. Like he was being crushed on all sides. 

Finally, at three in the morning, a doctor that Din barely knew came out to talk to him.

“Are you Mr. Vanth’s… brother? Friend?”

“Partner” Din said before he could stop himself. The doctor nodded, and sat down in the chair next to him.

“Mr. Vanth has a pretty severe case of pneumonia, as well as a minor concussion from where he hit his head, presumably when he collapsed,” the doctor said, looking at Din sympathetically. “He’s stable for now. We have him on IV fluids and antibiotics. He should make a full recovery, but he’ll need to stay on the ward for a few days so we can monitor him.” 

Din nodded, still feeling restless and anxious, but marginally less so now. The doctor patted his shoulder lightly and said, “Would you like to see him? Visiting hours are over, but you practically live here anyway so…” 

Din followed the doctor through the halls of the hospital that he knew so well, up to the third floor, where the less critically ill patients resided. They stopped outside a room where a plastic nameplate read, “Vanth, Cobb” on the door. He stepped into the room, thankful that Cobb didn’t have a roommate. 

And there was Cobb, the man of the hour, looking small and fragile propped up in the hospital bed. There were multiple IV’s in his arms, and a plastic hospital bracelet around one thin wrist. A canula ran underneath his nose. His breathing sounded better, but not by much.

Din walked to Cobb’s side and sat down on the edge of the bed, taking one of his slender hands into both of his larger ones. Cobb’s fingers were ice cold. Din frowned, giving Cobb’s hand a gentle squeeze. 

“Hey Cobb,” he said, his voice sounding too loud in the stillness of the night. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but you’re going to be ok. I’m going to stay here with you until you wake up, alright?” Cobb didn’t respond, almost as if all of his energy went to keeping him breathing in that moment. 

Din sighed, rolling his shoulders and slumping forward. This was going to be a long night. But then again, hadn’t it been Cobb that had stayed up until two in the morning a week ago, finishing the costume for Grogu’s school play so Din could get some sleep before his next shift? And hadn’t it been Cobb who had pulled an all-nighter two days later, so he could get enough work done to attend said school play? And hadn’t it always been Cobb who had kept Din company, chatting long into the evening, when Din had been feeling down and vulnerable?

God, it was no wonder the man was so sick. When Din sat back and really thought about it, he couldn’t remember a time where he had seen Cobb eat a full meal, or sleep a full eight hours, or do much of anything that wasn’t work or helping the Djarin family. And in that moment Din felt fully, painfully, guilty. 

Against his better judgement, he leaned forward, still gripping Cobb’s hand tight, and brushed a kiss to his clammy forehead. A silent thank you, a silent apology, and a silent promise that he would never take him for granted again.


	6. Cala Lily (New Beginnings)

Cobb was out cold for a day and a half. His breathing slowly improved, from the raspy wheezing to more deep, even breaths. Din held his hand almost the entire time, only leaving for brief periods to eat food. Din was dozing lightly by the time Cobb’s eyelashes finally started to flutter.

“Din?” He managed to choke out.

Din was at attention immediately, looking around frantically before his eyes settled on his best friend. His expression softened. 

“There you are,” he said fondly, squeezing Cobb’s hand lightly. “Welcome back. How are you feeling?”

Cobb blinked a few times, before grinning up at Din. “I dunno super nurse, you tell me.”

Din rolled his eyes. “I’m not your nurse, you goofball. Just morale support.” 

Cobb started to laugh, before devolving into a small coughing fit. Din stood and rubbed Cobb’s back soothingly. 

“Take it easy, you have pneumonia.” A pause, and then, “You overworked yourself. That uh… is probably my fault.” 

Cobb looked confused. “How is that your fault?”

Din sighed and ran a hand through his unkempt hair. “You’ve done nothing but take care of Grogu and me for the past year. I doubt very much you’ve done anything to take care of yourself.” All of a sudden he felt close to tears. “I…. thank you, for everything you’ve done. But now I’m going to take care of you, ok? I won’t let this happen again, I promise.” 

Cobb smiled. “It was my pleasure, to take care of the two of you, that is.” He looked slightly sheepish when he said, “you two are precious to me. I’d do anything for either of you.”

Din thought back to the arrangement of hyssop flowers, still sitting in the passenger seat of his car. “Sacrifice.” He wouldn’t let Cobb do that again. 

Then he thought about why he bought the flowers in the first place. He hadn’t thought of confessing outright when he bought them, but now? Now he wanted to. He didn’t want to waste another moment, couldn’t bear the thought of Cobb not knowing. 

But Cobb was still sick, shaky and feverish through the smile he wore. Now was not the right time. 

So Din did the next best thing. He leaned over, mindful of the IV lines, and embraced him. Cobb leaned his face into the crook of Din’s neck. 

“You’re precious to me too,” Din whispered. 

Din could hear Cobb’s heart monitor, beeping faster now. His face burned against Din’s neck. Probably from the fever, Din mused. 

After a tender moment, Cobb spoke.

“You stink,” was all he managed to get out, voice rough. 

Din laughed, loud and genuine. 

Cobb spent another two days in the hospital, Din constantly by his side. He eventually went down to his car to retrieve the flowers, his cheeks blazing as he presented them to his best friend. Cobb’s blush matched Din’s own. 

Grogu was allowed to visit once Cobb had regained some of his strength. Omera brought him by, introducing herself to Cobb with a bright smile before leaving the boys to their reunion. 

“Cobb!” Grogu yelled, immediately getting up on his hospital bed. 

“Hey, Grogu wait-“ Din said as he scrambled to catch the back of his son’s shirt. Cobb just laughed.

“He’s fine Din, I won’t break, promise.”

Din watched nervously as Grogu scooted up to Cobb to hug his neck, ready to snatch him back if he got too close to ripping out an IV line. 

“Cobb! You fell over, and I was so scared!” The little boy cried into Cobb’s shirt. Cobb hugged him close, patting his back soothingly.

“M’sorry I scared you buddy.” 

Din brought Cobb home a day later, letting him stay with himself and Grogu so he could recover the rest of his stamina. He was ready to ask Cobb to move in with them, permanently, when he remembered that they were not even dating. And then he realized, with horror, that Cobb still thought he was dating Omera. He was going to have to rectify that.

Din gave up his bed for Cobb to sleep in, with the express instructions of, “don’t you dare say you’d rather have the couch, or so help me…”

The second night of Cobb’s stay, Din had just turned off the lights in the living room and was preparing to go to sleep, when he heard footsteps in the hallway. 

“Grogu? You alright?” He asked the darkened room. It was Cobb’s voice that answered. 

“Nah, just me. Sorry, did I wake you?”

Din could see Cobb’s silhouette in the dark, all tallness and lanky limbs. “No, I hadn’t fallen asleep yet. Are you ok?”

“Yeah, just taking some medicine.”

Cobb felt his way through the living room to the kitchen in the dark, at one point running into the back of the sofa.

“Dammit!” he swore under his breath.

Din got off the couch and turned on the light, illuminating Cobb’s tired, pale face.

“Are you sure you’re ok? You’re awfully pale,” Din commented, sounding worried. 

“Yeah, I’m alright,” Cobb responded, sounding slightly out of breath.

“Here, sit on the couch. I’ll grab you some water and your meds.” Din went to the kitchen, rifling through the pharmacy bag containing Cobb’s antibiotics. When he returned to the couch, Cobb was hunched over, his head in his hands.

“Before you ask, I’m seriously ok,” Cobb said, beating Din to the punch. “Just a little dizzy. Give me a minute and I’ll get out of your hair.” 

Din sat with him for a few minutes, rubbing circles on his back as the dizziness subsided. Cobb took his medicine and stood up, immediately swaying on the spot. Din was up in a flash, keeping him upright.

“Let me help you back to bed,” he said as he began to guide him back towards the master bedroom.

Din helped Cobb get settled in bed, propping him up on a couple of pillows to help him breathe. Just as he turned to leave, Cobb grabbed a fistful of Din’s nightshirt. He spun around, surprised, as he met Cobb’s hazel eyes. He looked shaky and lost. It had been a very long time since he had seen Cobb look this way. 

“Would you mind… staying? For a while?” he asked, voice unsure. 

Din’s heart ached at the self-consciousness in Cobb’s voice. “Of course,” he smiled, as he turned off the light and crawled under the blankets on the other side of the bed. 

The two men faced each other as they adjusted the covers. Din was surprised at how natural it felt, just like it had twenty years ago when they shared a dorm room. A lot had changed since then, but at their core, Din and Cobb were very much the same. 

Cobb tentatively reached a hand out, fingers shaking slightly. Din immediately grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight. This felt… right. And suddenly, Din couldn’t stop himself from what he was about to say. 

“I love you.”

There was silence, and in the dark, Din couldn't see Cobb’s face. But he could hear his breath hitch, and he was suddenly afraid he would go into another coughing fit. 

“I love you too,” Cobb said cautiously, and then, “but I don’t think you love me the same way I love you.”

Din’s heart shattered, and he suddenly realized why Cobb never dated. He had loved Din all along, hadn’t he? 

Din’s heart hammered against his rib cage as he clarified, “No Cobb, I’m in love with you. I think I have been for a long time. I’m so sorry it took me this long to figure it out. You’ve been here, all this time, and I just couldn’t see it. I’ve been so stupid.”

Cobb’s voice hitched again, and Din suddenly realized he was crying. He could see his shoulders shaking in the dark, hand over his mouth to suppress the sounds he was making. 

“Fuck, Din, really?” he managed to choke out between sobs. “Cause I… I’ve loved you for so long. For twenty years now. I didn’t think… didn’t think you would ever love me back.” 

Din released his grip on Cobb’s hand to brush the tears from the other man’s face. It had been a long time since he had seen Cobb cry like this. 

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” Din whispered, already knowing the answer. 

Cobb laughed, bittersweet. “I didn’t want to stand in the way of you being happy.”

Din smiled, feeling warm all the way to his core. “And what if I said you made me happy? What if I said I wanted you here by my side all the time?”

Cobb hiccuped, and then said, “That would make me the happiest person on earth then.” Din could hear the smile in his voice.

Din shuffled closer, placing a hand on Cobb’s cheek. He rubbed his thumb through the tear tracks on his face, over the mole under his right eye. He was so close, he could feel the other man’s breath on his face. 

“Can I kiss you?”

He could feel Cobb holding his breath as he nodded. 

Din leaned in and kissed him, soft and chaste. It was perfect. 

And then Cobb was shoving him off, leaning to the other side and coughing violently. Din panicked, patting his back, before Cobb resurfaced.

“Shit, fuck, that’s embarrassing. I’m so sorry, Din.” 

And then Din was laughing, much too loud for this late hour. But he didn’t care. He didn’t care if he woke Grogu up, and he didn’t care if he was tired in the morning. All he cared about was that Cobb was there, warm and next to him. 

They fell asleep like that, hands clasped and foreheads touching. 

Time moved forward, slowly at first. Din and Cobb told Grogu the news the next morning while the three of them ate breakfast. Grogu was over the moon.

“Does this mean Cobb is going to live with us now?” he exclaimed happily through mouthfuls of cereal.

“Grogu, don’t talk with your mouth full. But…” He looked to Cobb, his eyebrows raised in question.

Cobb grinned, before saying, “Well, I dunno boys. I already have a pretty good gig in my tiny, lonely apartment. I might take some convincing.” 

Grogu stood on his chair, practically dumping his cereal everywhere. “Please please please, come stay with us! I’ll be so good all the time!”

Cobb smiled. “You know what? I think I will.” 

Cobb moved in the next weekend, and the three of them found that their lives didn’t really change that much. Cobb would wake up first, make breakfast, and then rouse Grogu from sleep. He would then move to the master bedroom, and kiss the side of Din’s curly head.

“Rise and shine sleeping beauty.” 

Din would drop Grogu off at the bus stop on the way to work, and Cobb would work on his laptop until it was time to pick Grogu up. Once Din returned home, they would eat dinner together as a family, and Din and Cobb would talk themselves hoarse, late into the evening. 

Almost a year to the day later, Din and Cobb tied the knot. It was a small, simple ceremony. Intimate even. But to the Djarin-Vanth family, it was perfect. 

Din finally replaced the photo of himself and Cobb that had been taken at his first wedding with a photo of himself, Cobb and Grogu at their own wedding. No tuxes, no pocket squares. No pomp or circumstance. Just the three of them, smiling brightly at the camera, sunlight bouncing off of Din and Cobb’s matching wedding bands. 

The next day, the three of them sat at the dining room table, eating leftover cake. Grogu muched happily on his second slice, mouth stained red from the frosting, when Cobb cleared his throat, looking nervous. 

“Uh, Grogu? Uhh… I was wondering… so you know, how… um, Din is your dad,” he began lamely. 

Din put a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter. He didn’t want to make fun of his husband. He knew full well how frightening this was for him.

“Duh,” Grogu replied, taking a bite of cake that was much too big for his small mouth.

“So uh, I was wondering, if, you know… you would, maybe, want me, to uh, also be your dad?”

Grogu looked up, confused. “I thought you already were?”

“He means officially,” Din chimed in, deciding he had experienced enough second-hand embarrassment for one day. “Cobb wants to adopt you.” 

“Really? That’s awesome! Yay!” Grogu exclaimed, jumping out of his chair and running to Cobb on the other side of the table, hugging him around the middle. 

After that, things were simple. Quiet. The three of them faced life together from now on. They celebrated birthdays and anniversaries. They tackled Grogu’s first school dance, and his first kiss. And each night, they ate Cobb’s cooking together. 

A blissful monotony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the kudos and the sweet comments! It’s been very encouraging as I get back on the fic train after 15 years! I’m planning to do more with this AU later, so I hope you’ll continue to stick with me!

**Author's Note:**

> I’m godtier1 on tumblr, drop me a line and let’s chat about Din x Cobb!!


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